Reversible Error to Deny For Cause Challenge to Biased Juror/Defendant’s Counsel Ineffective

The Fourth Department reversed defendant’s conviction because one of the jurors indicated a bias in favor of police officers [the for cause challenge to the juror was denied and the peremptory challenges were exhausted] and because the defendant was denied his right to effective assistance of counsel:

Upon questioning by defense counsel, a prospective juror stated that there was a possibility that he would have “sympathy” for police officer witnesses. Despite further questioning on the issue, the prospective juror did not provide an unequivocal assurance that he would not be biased in favor of the police. It is well settled that, once a potential juror has indicated a possible bias, he or she “must be excused unless [he or she] provide[s] unequivocal assurance that [he or she] can set aside any bias and render an impartial verdict based on the evidence’ ” … . Inasmuch as the court erred in denying defendant’s challenge for cause, we reverse the judgment and grant a new trial.

We further agree … that reversal is also required on the ground that he was denied effective assistance of counsel based upon, inter alia, defense counsel’s elicitation of testimony that had been precluded by the court’s pretrial ruling and defense counsel’s characterization of defendant as a “drug dealer” on summation … . Although “[i]solated errors in counsel’s representation generally will not rise to the level of ineffectiveness” … , here defense counsel’s failures were “so serious, and resulted in such prejudice to the defendant, that he was denied a fair trial thereby” … . People v Tapia-DeJesus, 2015 NY Slip Op 00167, 4th Dept 1-2-15